UNIVERSITY   OF   CALIFORNIA 

COLLEGE    OF    AGRICULTURE 
AGRICULTURAL   EXPERIMENT  STATION 

CIRCULAR  No.  252 

September,  1922 

SUPPORTS  FOR  VINES 

By  FREDERIC  T.  BIOLETTI 


Vines  cannot  be  grown  economically  without  some  form  of  sup- 
port. With  some  varieties  and  some  forms  of  pruning  it  is  possible 
to  obtain  fair  results  without  even  the  ordinary  grape  stakes,  but  the 
cost  in  extra  labor,  deferred  bearing,  and  imperfect  vines  is  greater 
than  that  of  suitable  staking  or  trellising  and  requires  exceptional  skill 
and  experience. 

The  supports  needed  are  of  two  kinds,  temporary  and  permanent. 
The  temporary  supports  make  it  possible  to  obtain  quickly  and  econom- 
ically a  well-formed,  sound  trunk,  free  from  irregularities  which  inter- 
fere with  cultivation  and  harvesting,  and  from  defects  and  wounds 
which  diminish  the  vigor  and  the  longevity  of  the  vine.  These  supports 
are  needed  only  until  the  vine  is  large  and  stout  enough  to  support 
itself  or  to  be  supported  by  a  permanent  trellis,  a  period  of  from  three 
to  six  years,  according  to  the  form  of  pruning  adopted,  and  to  the 
rapidity  of  development  of  the  vine. 

METHODS    RECOMMENDED 

Some  of  the  methods  in  common  use  are  inefficient  or  unnecessarily 
expensive.  The  methods  described  here  have  been  thoroughly  tested, 
are  suited  to  nearly  all  the  varieties  and  conditions  of  the  grape- 
growing  districts  in  California,  and  accomplish  the  objects  sought  with 
less  expense  than  any  other  method  tried  or  widely  used. 

HEAD-PRUNED   VINES* 

Method  1. — Head-pruned  vines  require  only  temporary  supports. 
When  they  have  developed  a  stout,  straight  trunk  two  or  three  inches 
in  diameter,  they  are  self-supporting.  The  higher  the  head,  the  thicker 
the  trunk  must  be  before  the  artificial  supports  can  be  safely  removed, 


*  See  Circular  245. 


Z  UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT  STATION 

and  the  less  vigorous  the  variety  and  the  less  favorable  the  soil  and  the 
climate,  the  longer  is  the  support  needed.  Under  the  most  favorable 
conditions  the  picket  or  stake  may  be  removed  at  the  end  of  two  years, 
but  usually  the  support  is  needed  for  three  or  four  years.  Vines 
grafted  on  resistant  stock  may  not  become  sufficiently  stout  even  in 
more  than  six  years. 

For  this  method  a  sawn  redwood  picket,  36  to  40  inches  long  and 
1"  X  1"  thick,  is  required  at  each  vine.  This  picket  is  driven  eight 
or  ten  inches  into  the  ground  as  close  to  the  vine  as  is  possible  without 
injury  to  the  roots.  To  prevent  being  blown  over  by  the  wind,  it  is 
stapled  with  a  %-inch  fencing  staple  to  a  No.  12  or  No.  13  galvanized 
iron  smooth  fencing  wire  at  about  24  inches  from  the  ground.  This 
wire  is  stretched  between  two  redwood  grape  stakes,  4'  X  2"  X  2", 
one  at  each  end  of  a  row.  If  the  row  is  more  than  200  feet  long,  one 
or  more  intermediate  stakes  should  be  used.  These  stakes  are  first 
driven  20  to  22  inches  into  the  ground,  and  the  wire  strung.  The 
pickets  are  then  driven  on  the  windward  side  of  the  wire  and  stapled. 

This  method  of  staking  is  shown  is  figure  1.  It  is  the  most  econom- 
ical effective  method.  Where  the  vines  develop  rapidly,  so  that  they 
become  self-supporting  in  two  to  three  years,  pine  or  other  wood  may 
be  used  instead  of  redwood. 

Method  2* — An  objection  to  the  first  method  is  that  it  prevents 
cross-cultivation  until  the  wire  and  pickets  are  removed.  This  is 
serious  only  where  Morning  Glory,  Bermuda  Grass,  or  other  bad 
weeds  are  prevalent.  For  such  cases  it  may  be  necessary  to  adopt 
method  2. 

For  this  method,  a  grape  stake,  2"  X  2"  and  from  3  to  5  feet  long, 
is  required  for  each  vine.  The  shorter  stakes  may  be  a  little  thinner 
but  in  no  case  less  than  1%"  X  1%".  The  stake  is  driven  close  to 
the  vine  on  the  leeward  side.  The  shorter  stakes  are  driven  12  to  15 
inches  into  the  ground,  the  longer  15  to  18  inches,  according  to  the 
firmness  of  the  soil. 

As  no  wire  is  used  in  method  2  a  line  should  be  stretched  along  the 
row  to  insure  the  exact  alinement  of  the  stakes.  Special  precautions 
should  be  taken  to  have  every  stake  as  nearly  vertical  as  possible. 

A  very  convenient  method  of  staking  is  shown  in  figure  3.  Two 
men  and  a  low  wagon  with  a  flat  bed  are  needed.  The  wagon  is  to 
carry  the  stakes  and  to  serve  as  a  stand  for  the  man  who  drives  them. 
On  the  wagon  is  placed  a  loose  1-inch  board,  about  4  feet  long  and  12 
inches  wide,  with  a  square  notch  cut  out  of  one  corner.  The  first  man 
drives  the  wagon  up  to  the  place  where  the  stake  is  to  be  driven ;  the 

*  See  Circular  245. 


Circular  252]  SUPPORTS  FOR  VINES 


Fig.  1. — Pickets  for  head-pruned  vines. 


Fig.  2. — Five-foot  stakes  for  head-pruned  vines. 


4  UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT  STATION 

other  man  places  the  point  of  the  stake  at  the  proper  place  against  the 
guide  line,  and  holds  it  perfectly  vertical.  The  driver  then  adjusts 
the  board  so  that  the  notch  comes  close  to  the  stake,  stands  on  the  board 
and  drives  the  stake,  while  the  other  man  presses  it  against  the  notch. 
This  procedure  insures  rapid,  convenient  and  accurate  work. 


Fig.  3. — Method  of  driving  long  stakes. 


The  possibility  of  accurate  and  rapid  driving  of  stakes  depends 
greatly  on  how  they  are  sharpened  (see  fig.  4) .  Stakes  when  purchased 
are  never  properly  sharpened.  It  is  better  to  purchase  unpointed 
stakes  as  these  can  be  obtained  more  cheaply,  and  require  no  more  labor 
to  sharpen  than  is  needed  to  resharpen  those  improperly  sharpened. 

As  already  stated,  the  stake  should  be  driven  as  close  to  the  vine 
as  is  possible  without  injury.    When  staking  is  done  before  planting, 


Circular  252] 


SUPPORTS  FOR  VINES 


the  vine  can  be  placed  so  that  its  top  touches  the  stake.  When  plant- 
ing is  done  first,  it  is  possible  to  plant  the  vines  in  such  a  way  that 
the  stake  can  be  driven  within  half  an  inch  of  the  vine  without  danger. 
All  that  is  necessary  is  to  dig  the  hole  and  do  the  planting,  regularly, 
in  such  a  way  that  the  vine,  under  the  ground,  slants  away  from  the 
side  where  the  stake  is  to  be  placed.  (See  fig.  5.)  Where  the  vines 
have  been  planted  irregularly  in  this  respect,  it  is  necessary  to  place 
the  stakes  at  least  two  inches  from  the  vines ;  even  when  this  is  done 
some  vines  may  be  injured. 


Fig.  4. — Stakes  sharpened  improperly  (upper  three)  and  properly  (lowest  one), 


CANE-PRUNED  VINES* 

Method  3. — Besides  temporary  supports  similar  to  those  used  for 
head-pruned  vines,  cane-pruned  vines  require  permanent  support  for 
the  annually  renewed  fruit  canes. 

The  method  recommended  requires  a  40-inch  picket,  1"  X  1",  of 
sawn  redwood  as  a  temporary  support  for  the  developing  trunk  and 
two  wires  as  a  permanent  support  for  the  fruit  canes.  To  hold  these 
wires,  a  straining  post  at  the  end  of  each  row  or  about  200  to  300  feet 
apart  and  a  grape  stake,  5'  or  6'  X  2"  X  2",  about  every  20  to  24 
feet  are  needed.  These  are  permanent.  With  this  material,  a  trellis 
similar  to  that  shown  in  figure  6  is  erected. 


See  Circular  245. 


b  UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT  STATION 

In  order  to  erect  this  trellis  accurately  and  rapidly  it  should  be 
done  systematically.  Certain  simple  tools  much  facilitate  the  work. 
(See  fig.  10.) 

The  straining  posts  are  first  put  in  place.  Lines  should  be  drawn 
on  the  posts  with  a  heavy  carpenter's  pencil  to  show  the  position  of 
the  wires  and  of  the  surface  of  the  ground,  viz.,  at  2  inches,  16  inches, 
and  44  inches  from  the  top  of  the  post.  The  holes  are  then  dug  with 
a  6-inch  post-hole  digger  to  the  required  depth.    The  posts  should  be 


Fig.  5. — Method  of  planting  to  avoid  injury  in  staking:  A,  correct;  B,  wrong. 


canted  slightly  away  from  the  row  of  vines — about  2  inches,  or  a  little 
more  in  soft  soil.  When  the  wire  is  stretched,  the  pull  will  make  them 
vertical.  The  earth  should  be  well  tamped  with  a  tamping  rod  or  a 
heavy  piece  of  wood  about  1"  X  IV2"  and  8  to  10  feet  long.  No 
bracing  is  needed,  though  in  some  loose  soils  it  is  advisable  to  nail  a 
piece  of  board  1"  X  6"  and  12  inches  long  on  the  inside  of  the  post, 
6  inches  below  the  surface  of  the  soil.  The  posts  should  be  carefully 
centered  with  the  row  of  vines.  These  posts  are  placed  at  about 
4  feet  outside  of  the  last  vine  of  the  row.  It  is  necessary,  therefore, 
to  allow  this  extra  distance  in  planning  for  avenues  and  turning  spaces. 


Circular  252]  SUPPORTS  FOR  VINES  7 

A  substitute  for  a  straining  post,  which  is  somewhat  cheaper,  can 
be  made  of  two  6-foot  grape  stakes  and  a  piece  of  1%"  X  2"  pine, 
5  feet  6  inches  long,  braced  with  wire,  as  shown  in  figure  7.  The 
material  costs  about  40  per  cent  less,  but  the  labor  a  little  more  and 
the  substitute  is  not  quite  so  durable.  Many  other  methods  of  holding 
the  wire  are  in  use  but  the  two  described  seem  the  best  when  efficiency, 
cheapness,  and  appearance  are  considered.  Posts  of  reinforced  con- 
crete have  been  used  occasionally,  but  are  expensive.     (See  fig.  14.) 

When  the  posts  are  up,  the  lower  wire  should  be  strung.  This  may 
be  a  No.  12  galvanized-iron  smooth  fencing  wire,  though  No.  11  is 
better. 


Fig.  6. — Trellis  for  cane-pruned  vines. 

In  stringing  the  wire,  a  reel  is  very  convenient  and  time-saving. 
A  good  form  used  in  handling  telephone  wires  is  shown  in  figure  8. 
A  homemade  reel  of  similar  form  is  shown  in  figure  9. 

When  this  form  of  reel  is  used,  the  wire  can  be  laid  along  the  row 
without  bends  or  kinks  and  can  be  pulled  almost  tight  enough  by  hand. 
No  regular  wire  puller  is  needed,  but  a  few  simple  tools — a  wire  cutter, 
a  wire  twister,  and  a  36-inch  carpenter 's  wrecking  bar — much  facili- 
tate the  work.     (See  figure  10.) 

The  end  of  the  wire  is  first  passed  around  the  post  at  one  end 
of  the  row  in  a  loop  about  30  inches  long  and  held  by  a  l^-inch  staple 
at  each  side  of  the  post.  These  staples  should  be  left  just  loose  enough 
to  allow  the  wire  to  slip ;  this  is  for  convenience  in  tightening  the  wire 
the  following  year.  The  method  of  twisting  the  end  of  the  wire  so 
that  the  loop  will  not  slip  is  shown  at  the  bottom  of  figure  11. 


8  UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT  STATION 

The  wire  is  then  drawn  along  the  row  to  the  other  end  post.  A 
convenient  method  is  to  have  the  wire  reel  mounted  on  a  light  wagon 
or  sled  drawn  by  a  single  horse. 

On  reaching  the  other  end,  the  wire  is  cut  at  the  right  length  and 
looped  around  the  post  in  exactly  the  same  way  as  was  done  at  the 
first  end.  The  wire  is  drawn  as  tightly  as  it  can  be  by  one  man, 
brought  around  the  post  and  held  with  the  wire  cutter  until  the  loop 
is  finished  with  the  wire  twister.  (See  fig.  11.)  With  a  little  practice 
one  man  can  do  this  without  assistance.     Before  passing  the  wire 




s 

. 

' 

_j 

Fig.  7. — Brace  made  from  grape  stakes. 

around  the  post,  the  wrecking  bar  is  hung  on  top,  as  shown  in  figure 
11.  When  the  loop  is  complete  it  is  placed  at  the  proper  height  as 
indicated  by  the  mark  on  the  post  and  held  by  two  1%-inch  staples 
driven  nearly  tight. 

A  wire  not  over  300  feet  long  put  up  in  this  way  requires  very  little 
supplementary  stretching,  and  this  can  be  done  with  the  wrecking  bar 
as  shown  in  figure  12.  The  staples  are  driven  fairly  tight  while  the 
bar  holds  the  wire  taut  and  the  part  of  the  loop  drawn  past  the  post  is 
then  bent  down  and  stapled  as  shown  at  the  bottom  of  figure  12. 


Circular  252] 


SUPPORTS  FOR  VINES 


Fig.  8. — Wire  reel  for  rapid  and  accurate  stringing  of  wire. 


Fig.  9. — Home-made  wire  reel. 


10 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT  STATION 


The  wire  should  not  be  too  tight.  If  a  wire  200  or  300  feet  long  is 
drawn  by  hand  with  sufficient  force  to  bring  the  middle  clear  from  the 
ground,  and  then  pulled  6  or  8  inches  with  the  bar,  it  will  be  sufficiently 
taut,  especially  if  it  has  been  unwound  from  a  wire  reel,  and  so  has 
remained  smooth.  Also,  stapling  to  the  supporting  grape  stakes  will 
tighten  the  wire  considerably.     (See  fig.  12.) 

When  the  first  wire  is  up,  the  5-  or  6-foot  supporting  grape  stakes 
should  be  driven.  One  of  these  should  be  placed  at  about  every  third 
vine.  They  should  not  be  more  than  25  feet  apart  and  nothing  is 
gained  by  having  them  nearer  than  fourteen  feet.  These  stakes  should 
not  be  close  to  a  vine.     It  is  better  to  place  them  at  about  15  inches 


Fig.   10. — Useful  trellising  tools. 


from  a  vine.  (See  fig.  6  and  fig.  15,  method  3.)  These  stakes  are 
permanent  and  if  they  are  placed  close  to  a  vine  they  will  interfere 
with  pruning,  suckering,  girdling,  and  hoeing.  They  are  driven  in 
the  same  way  as  the  stakes  in  method  2  (see  fig.  3),  using  the  wire  just 
put  up  as  a  guide  to  keep  them  exactly  in  line.  Before  driving,  they 
should  be  marked  with  a  line  indicating  the  depth  to  which  they  are 
to  be  driven.  The  measurements  should  be  made  from  the  top  of  the 
stake  in  order  that  the  tops  will  all  be  at  the  same  level  when  in  place. 

The  wire  is  then  fastened  to  these  stakes  with  l^-inch  staples  at 
the  height  determined  on.  The  guide  shown  in  figure  10  is  useful  to 
insure  regularity.  The  staples  are  driven  not  quite  tight,  so  that  the 
wire  can  run  through  them  when  being  tightened. 

A  picket  is  then  placed  close  to  each  vine,  driven  about  6  inches 
into  the  ground  and  fastened  to  the  windward  side  of  the  wire  with 
%-inch  staples. 


Circular  252] 


SUPPORTS  FOR  VINES 


11 


The  upper  wire  is  put  up  in  exactly  the  same  way  as  the  lower 
except  that  it  is  not  fastened  to  the  pickets,  which  do  not  reach  it. 
The  placing  of  the  second  wire  may  be  deferred  to  the  following  year, 
though  this  is  inadvisable  as  the  growth  of  the  vines  increases  the  time 
and  labor  required. 


Fig.  11. — Method  of  attaching  wire  to  post. 
CORDON-PRUNED  VINES* 

Method  4. — Similar  materials  are  used  for  this  method  as  for 
method  3,  i.e.,  7-foot  posts,  5-  or  6-foot  stakes,  and  48-inch  pickets.  A 
vineyard  where  this  form  of  trellis  was  put  up  before  planting  is 
shown  in  figure  13.  The  second  wire  has  not  been  put  up  yet,  and  the 
pickets  should  be  a  little  longer. 


See  Circular  245. 


12  UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA — EXPERIMENT  STATION 

In  this  method  the  arrangement  of  the  posts  and  stakes  differs  from 
that  in  method  3.  At  one  end  of  the  row,  the  post  is  set  near  the  first 
vine  and  at  the  other  about  8  feet  beyond  the  last  vine.  (See  fig.  15, 
method  4. )  The  stakes  are  driven  close  to  the  vine  instead  of  15  inches 
away  from  it.  The  reason  for  this  is  that  this  position  gives  the  best 
support  for  the  horizontal  trunks  that  extend  along  the  lower  wire  in 
the  unilateral  cordon  system,  and  as  the  trunks  curve  away  from  the 
stake  there  is  no  interference  with  pruning  the  fully  formed  vines. 

The  operations  of  placing  the  posts,  wire,  stakes  and  pickets  are 
the  same  as  with  method  3. 


VARIATIONS  AND   PRECAUTIONS 

While  the  four  methods  described  seem  to  be  the  most  generally 
useful,  they  may  be  modified  with  advantage  in  special  cases. 

Height  of  stakes  and  wires. — The  height  of  the  stake  necessary  for 
head-pruned  vines  depends  on  the  length  of  trunk  required.  For 
Muscat,  a  trunk  15  inches  high  is  usually  considered  sufficient.  This 
can  be  obtained  easily  with  a  3-foot  stake  driven  12  or  15  inches  into 
the  ground.  For  table  grapes  it  is  advisable  to  have  the  trunk  higher 
so  that  the  fruit  will  be  well  off  the  ground,  and  so  a  4-foot  stake  is 
needed.  If  a  stake  of  this  length  is  driven  18  inches  into  the  ground 
the  30  inches  left  is  sufficient  for  a  trunk  24  inches  high.  For  excep- 
tionally large  vines,  such  as  Tokay  and  Malaga,  especially  when  grow- 
ing in  rich  soil,  a  5-  or  6-foot  stake  is  preferable,  making  it  possible 
to  develop  a  trunk  3  or  3%  ^eet  high. 

An  increase  in  the  height  of  the  vine  gives  some  protection  against 
spring  frosts.  Where  these  frosts  are  frequent  it  may  be  advisable 
to  raise  the  wires  for  cane-pruned  or  cordon  vine  higher  than  the  28 
inches  recommended.  In  this  case  a  6-foot  stake  instead  of  a  5-foot  is 
needed  to  support  the  wires. 

Number  of  wires. — In  the  methods  using  two  wires,  the  fruit  canes 
or  the  cordon  trunks  are  fastened  horizontally  to  the  lower  wire.  The 
upper  wire  is  needed  only  to  support  the  growing  shoots. 

There  is  some  advantage  in  bending  the  fruit  cane  over  the  upper 
wire  and  tying  it  down  to  the  lower.  This  procedure  tends  to  force 
out  more  buds  and  to  bring  part  of  the  shoots  a  little  higher,  thus 
making  them  a  little  safer  from  the  frost.  The  tying  of  the  canes  is 
also  a  little  more  easily  done.  Where  this  method  is  used,  a  third 
wire  10  or  12  inches  above  the  second  is  useful. 


Circular  252] 


SUPPORTS  FOR  VINES 


13 


On  the  other  hand,  if  the  number  of  canes  and  their  length  corre- 
spond to  the  vigor  of  the  vine,  all  the  buds  will  start  by  the  method 
recommended  and  safety  from  frost  is  better  obtained  by  raising  the 
lower  wire.     The  saving  in  tying  is  very  little  and  much  more  than 


Fig.  12. — Method  of  tightening  wire. 


counterbalanced  by  the  extra  cost  of  disentangling  the  vines  from  the 
extra  wire  in  pruning. 

Time  of  placing  supports. — Where  the  vines  make  a  very  large 
growth  during  the  first  year,  as  they  do  in  fertile  soil  in  the  warmer 
regions,  there  is  a  great  advantage  in  placing  the  stakes  or  trellis 
before  the  vines  are  planted,     Jt  is  then  possible  in  many  cases  to 


14  UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT  STATION 

develop  a  trunk  and  even  a  head  during  the  first  growing  season  and 
to  obtain  a  paying  crop  at  the  end  of  the  second  summer.  In  fact, 
where  vines  make  a  growth  the  first  year  of  several  canes  8  or  10  feet 
long,  if  they  are  not  staked  until  the  second  year,  the  difficulty  and 
expense  of  handling  them  so  as  to  give  them  the  desired  form  are  much 
increased. 

In  cooler  regions  or  in  soil  where  the  vines  do  not  make  an  excessive 
growth  the  first  year,  the  staking  and  trellising  can  be  deferred  until 
the  winter  following  planting.  The  only  advantage  gained  in  putting 
in  the  supports  before  planting  in  this  case  is  greater  regularity  of  the 
rows.  This  is,  however,  an  important  advantage  in  the  case  of  trellised 
vines  as  the  more  exactly  the  vines  are  in  line  the  more  perfectly  and 
economically  they  can  be  cultivated. 

Preserving  alignment  and  verticality. — The  importance  of  exact 
alignment  has  already  been  pointed  out.  It  is  no  less  important  that 
the  trunks  of  the  vines  should  be  regularly  vertical.  If  they  are  lean- 
ing or  crooked,  they  interfere  with  cultivation  and  are  subject  to 
injury  from  tillage  implements. 

To  insure  a  vertical  trunk  it  is  necessary  to  have  the  stake  or  picket 
close  to  the  vine.  This  is  easily  accomplished  if  the  supports  are  put 
in  before  planting.  If  the  planting  is  done  first  it  is  important  to 
observe  the  precautions  already  noted.  (See  fig.  5.)  In  putting  up 
a  trellis  it  is  necessary  also  to  be  careful  that  the  end  posts  are  properly 
centered  with  the  lines  of  the  vines  and  that  the  stretched  wire  comes 
vertically  over  the  vines. 

Length  of  trellises. — In  order  to  avoid  unnecessary  walking  and 
hauling,  the  trellises  should  not  be  too  long.  Cross  avenues  should  be 
left  at  convenient  distances;  about  every  200  to  300  feet  is  generally 
considered  sufficient,  and  is  a  convenient  length  for  stretching  a  wire 
between  two  posts.  It  is  also  in  most  cases  about  the  best  length  for 
irrigation  furrows. 

MATERIALS 

In  choosing  the  materials  for  staking  or  trellising  the  best  com- 
promise possible  should  be  made  between  quality  and  price.  This 
compromise  will  vary  with  local  conditions. 

J'osts. — Split  posts  are  better  than  sawn  posts  if  they  are  made  of 
wood  which  splits  regularly.  They  are  stronger  than  sawn  posts  of 
the  same  size,  though  the  latter  may  be  used  if  they  cost  less. 

Coast  redwood  free  from  sapwood  is  the  most  durable.  Next  to 
this  come  cedar,  and  big  tree  redwood.    Pine  or  other  woods  available 


Circular  252 


SUPPORTS  FOR  VINES 


15 


in  California  decay  too  quickly.  Where  the  best  coast  redwood  can- 
not be  obtained  it  is  advisable  to  creosote  the  lower  ends  of  the  perma- 
nent posts  and  stakes.  This  is  especially  necessary  in  the  warmer 
localities  and  in  alkaline  soils. 

Stakes. — Only  split  stakes  should  be  used,  as  they  are  not  only 
much  stronger  but  usually  cheaper  than  sawn.  Only  coast  redwood 
is  satisfactory. 

Pickets. — As  the  pickets  are  supported  at  both  ends,  their  strength 
is  not  so  important  and  they  are  more  easily  obtainable  and  better 


k<«*Xm<L 


Fig.  13. — Young  vineyard  trellised  for  cordon  pruning. 


if  sawn.  Redwood  is  the  best  for  these,  also,  but  if  tarred  almost  any 
lumber  will  last  for  the  three  or  four  years  necessary.  Laths  are  too 
thin  and  pliable  and  will  not  hold  the  staples.  Willows  or  saplings 
of  almost  any  kind,  1  inch  to  V/2  inches  in  diameter,  can  be  used  if 
treated  with  bluestone.  They  are  placed  the  day  they  are  cut  with 
their  base  in  a  couple  of  inches  of  a  2  to  5  per  cent  solution  of  bluestone. 
In  a  few  hours  they  absorb  enough  bluestone  to  preserve-  them  for  two 
or  three  years.  They  seem  to  decay  more  quickly  in  soil  containing 
alkali.  Spanish  bamboo  {Arundo  Donax)  can  also  be  used  but  must 
be  thoroughly  dried  before  using  to  prevent  rooting  and  to  kill  any 
white  ants  that  infest  it. 

Wire. — Smooth  galvanized-iron  fencing  wire  seems  to  be  the  best 
kind.    Soft  wire  stretches  and  becomes  loose. 


16 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT  STATION 


The  best  sizes  are  No.  11,  No.  12,  and  No.  13.  No.  11  is  the  best 
for  the  lower  wire,  which  supports  the  main  weight  of  vine  and  crop. 
No.  13  is  sufficiently  strong  for  the  upper  wire. 

Staples. — For  holding  the  wire  to  the  posts  and  stakes,  1%-inch 
galvanized  fencing  staples  are  the  best,  and  for  fastening  the  pickets 
to  the  wire  %-inch  staples.  The  pickets  may  also  be  tied  to  the  wire 
with  strong  cord  or  twine,  but  this  is  less  satisfactory. 

COST   OF   MATERIAL  AND   LABOR 

All  these  materials  will  vary  in  price  according  to  the  market 
and  locality.     By  obtaining  bids  from  various  dealers  and  especially 


Fig.  14. — Concrete  posts  used  for  trellising. 


by  ordering  cooperatively  in  large  quantities,  a  considerable  saving 
can  be  made.  It  is  especially  advisable  to  order  posts  and  stakes  in 
carload  lots  in  the  spring,  at  least  six  months  before  they  are  needed. 
This  enables  the  producer  of  stakes  to  prepare  them  during  the  sum- 
mer, which  is  the  only  time  he  can  do  it  economically.  Stakes  produced 
in  the  early  summer,  moreover,  will  have  time  to  dry  and  lose  weight, 
which  results  in  a  saving  of  freight  charges  amounting  sometimes  to  as 
much  as  $15  per  thousand. 

Practically  the  variations  in  the  cost  of  labor  are  much  greater 
than  in  the  cost  of  material.  This  depends  not  so  much  upon  the  rate 
of  wages  paid,  as  on  the  care  with  which  the  work  is  planned  and  on 
the  skill  and  experience  of  the  workmen. 

In  order  to  compare  the  cost  of  the  various  methods  of  staking  and 
trellising,  certain  prices  have  been  assumed  for  the  various  materials 
used.  These  prices  are  calculated  from  the  average  prices  and  freight 
rates  quoted  in  1921-22. 


Circular  252] 


SUPPORTS  FOR  VINES 


17 


Materials 

Split  redwood  posts,  T  X  4"  X   5" $ 

Split  redwood  stakes,  6'  X  2"  X  2" 80 

Split  redwood  stakes,  5'  X  2"  X  2" 70 

Split  redwood  stakes,  4'  X  2"  X  2" 54 

Split  redwood  stakes,  3'  X  l1//'  X  l1//' 40 

Sawn  redwood  pickets,  48"  X  1"  X  1" 13 

Sawn  redwood  pickets,  40"  X  1"  X  1" 11 

Sawn  redwood  pickets,  36"  X  1"  X  1" 10 

Wire,  No.  11 2 

Wire,  No.  12 1 

Wire,  No.  13 * 

Staples,  iy2",  No.  9 

Staples,  %",  No.  15 

Labor , 


Price 
,50  each 
:00  per  1000 
.00  per  1000 
00  per  1000 
,00  per  1000 
,00  per  1000 
,00  per  1000 
,00  per  1000 
,00  per  thousand  ft. 
,65  per  thousand  ft. 
.30  per  thousand  ft. 
.90  per  1000 
.15  per  1000 
.50  per  hour. 


By  substituting  for  these  prices  any  other  local  prices,  the  approxi- 
mate cost  can  be  computed  for  any  conditions,  and  different  methods 
and  materials  compared. 


Method    1  for     head     pruning 


tm  ■  r  "  ■?■ Hfflw>mMfflW'jmrtMP0H>JiWi/!>:.  ivrmv 


,.,,,,, , ~,rrrr%.  •I'Aw.'tiwmimwi'mm, 


Method     2  for     head     pruning 


%  h»W>»)h>V  "  "■*"■'[>■■■  "i"»m/rfl.  •'■7WM.W\W*B>>W>>)» 


r 


FOR       CANE       PRUNING 


mm — r- sp 


*»m/»i  vfM/i  ypmymww.'i  wfflmmnrvwMWAvmuii&t 


BWiWWW ^B'ww wwmw  )pmmmmwmwww/mmmM0Mm 


Method    4 


for     cordon 


imanw.  ■ >r     ■  b?> w.wmmwmm 


PRUNING 


W""  7T 


Fig.  15. — Diagram  of  methods. 


18  UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT  STATION 


SPECIFICATIONS 

The  number  of  vines  and  therefore  the  amount  of  material  needed 
will  depend  on  the  planting  distance,  the  area  occupied  by  roads,  ave- 
nues, turning  spaces,  irrigation  ditches,  border  trees,  etc.  In  the 
following  calculations  certain  conditions  are  assumed  regarding  these 
matters,  viz. : 

1.  No  space  is  left  for  ditches  or  border  trees. 

2.  All  avenues  or  turning  spaces  are  at  least  15  feet  wide. 

3.  Border  spaces  are  at  least  as  wide  as  the  rows. 

4.  The  blocks  are  between  200  and  250  feet  wide  and  all  of  equal 

size. 

The  calculations  are  made  for  a  square  area  of  40  acres  as  most 
representative  of  vineyards  in  California.  For  smaller  vineyards,  the 
amount  of  material  used  per  acre  would  be  somewhat  less  owing  to 
the  larger  proportion  of  border  and  turning  space.  The  cost  would  be 
about  the  same  per  acre,  however,  owing  to  the  larger  proportionate 
cost  of  smaller  operation.  For  larger  vineyards  the  amount  of  material 
per  acre  would  not  vary  much  and  would  usually  be  equalized  by  the 
introduction  of  main  roads  for  hauling. 

A.  Cost  of  staking  a  40-acre  head-pruned  vineyard  planted 
8'  X  12\    Method  1.     (See  fig.  15.) 

Grape   stakes,   4'  X  2"  X  2" 1,308  at  $54.00  $71.00 

Pickets,    40"  X  1"  X  1" 17,004  at     11.00  187.00 

Wire,  No.   12 137,340  at       1.65  227.00 

Staples,    iy2-inch    2,616  at         .90  3.00 

Staples,    %-inch    17,004  at         .15  1.00 

$489.00- 

Driving  stakes $40.00 

Stretching   wire    138.00 

Setting  and  stapling  pickets 102.00 

Distributing   materials,    etc 100.00 

Labor   i 380.00 

Total  cost $869.00 

Cost  per  acre,  $21.23. 


Circular  252]  SUPPORTS  FOR  VINES  19 

B.  Cost    of    staking    a    40-acre    head-pruned    vineyard    planted 
8'  X  12'.    Method  2.     (See  tig.  15.) 

Grape  stakes,  4'  X  2"  X  2" 17,004  at  $54.00     $918.00 

Driving  stakes  525.00 

Total  cost $1,443.00 

Cost  per  acre,  $36.08. 

C.  Cost    of   trellising    a   40-acre    cane-pruned    vineyard    planted 
V  X  14'.    Method  3.     (See  fig.  15.) 

Posts,  7'  X  4"  X  5" 930  at  $     .50     $465.00 

Grape   stakes;   5'  X  2"  X  2" 5,115  at     70.00       358.00 

Pickets,  40"  X  1"  X  1"  16,275  at     11.00       179.00 

Wire,  No.  11 114,000  at       2.00       228.00 

Wire,  No.  13 114,000  at       1.30       148.00 

Staples,  iy2" 15,000  at         .90         14.00 

Staples,  %"  17,000  at         .15  3.00 

Materials $1,395.00 

Setting  posts $47.00 

Driving  stakes  and  stapling 155.00 

Setting  pickets  and  stapling 98.00 

Stretching  wire   228.00 

Distributing  materials,  etc 100.00 

Labor $628.00 

Total  cost $2,023.00 

Cost  per  acre,  $51.00. 

D.  Cost  of  trellising  a  40-acre  cordon-pruned  vineyard  planted 
7'  X  14'.    Method  4.     (See  fig.  15.) 

Posts,  V  X  4"  X  5"  930  at  $     .50  $465.00 

Grape   stakes,   5'  X  2"  X  2" 7,905  at     70.00  554.00 

Pickets,  48"  X  1"  X  1"  - 7,905  at     13.00  104.00 

Wire,  No.  11 114,000  at       2.00  228.00 

Wire,  No.  13 114,000  at       1.30  148.00 

Staples,  iy2"  21,000  at        .90  19.00 

Staples,  %" 8,000  at        .15  2.00 

Materials $1,520.00 

Setting  posts $47.00 

Driving  stakes  and  stapling 237.00 

Setting  pickets  and  stapling 48.00 

Stretching  wire 228.00 

Distributing  materials,  etc 100.00 

Labor 660.00 

Total  cost $2,180.00 

Cost  per  acre,  $54.50. 


